First committee will begin debate on 6 october; items include nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, averting outer space arms race, staunching illicit arms trade.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), in an organizational meeting today, adopted its agenda and programme of work for the sixty-third session of the General Assembly.

As in past years, the work programme is split into three phases, with the first phase, from 6 to 14 October, a general debate on all disarmament and international security agenda items. These items include nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, promoting transparency in armaments, averting an arms race in outer space, preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction and staunching the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

The second phase, from 15 to 27 October, will be thematic discussions on all agenda items, along with the introduction and consideration of draft resolutions and decisions. The final phase, lasting from 28 October to 4 November, will involve action on all draft texts.

Committee Chairman Marco Antonio Suazo (Honduras) presided over today’s meeting and welcomed the new Bureau. Other members of the Bureau are the three Vice-Chairpersons: Miguel Graça (Portugal); Ivan Mutavdžić (Croatia); and Martin Zvachula (Federated States of Micronesia). The Rapporteur is Coly Seck (Senegal).

The representatives of Mexico, Cuba and Nigeria spoke on organizational matters.

The First Committee will meet again on Monday, 6 October, at 10 a.m. to begin its general debate.

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/gadis3360.doc.htm